Yup, it's all about thermal conductivity. I grew up in an era where my dad left for work every Monday morning and returned on Friday evenings. For many years after his passing I had his wooden "koskas" - roughly translated as food-box - stored somewhere out of the way. Plastic, ice-packs and cooler boxes had taken over.

Then during one hot January camping trip I decided to re-live some memories and loaded the koskas packed with tinned stuffs - sardines, bully-beef, mixed veg, mixed fruit, custard, long-life milk and even a few vacuum packed steaks. (just leave the tins in a normal fridge for a day or two before you leave home). 42 Degrees in the shade at Shingwedzi and we could eat anything straight out of the tin. I even remember my dad telling me that wood may burn very easily, but it's not very good at conducting heat.

Must admit I have never tried adding ice-packs or even ice in the box - what was good enough for my dad is now good enough for me and we never go camping without the koskas. So yes, you could have 12volt ice on tap (at a cost) but you can also get by for at least ten days with a simple old wooden box.

I am going on a 12-day trip to KNP next March, and I was wondering about this, as well. I was thinking of getting 2 medium-sized cooler boxes for drinks and food, but I'd prefer not to buy outright as I'll only need them for this trip. Is it possible to rent cooler boxes?

Hi all when we go camping in Kruger i freeze a batch of 2 ltr soda bottles a few weeks before departure. I then fill 2 or 3 cooler boxes with the meat and the frozen 2 ltr bottles. 3-4 bottles in each cooler box. I know this does not leave much room for meat and alot of cooler boxes take up space so will need some sacrifice.NOW HERES MY TIP EACH OF THE 2 LTR BOTTLES MUST BE PUT INTO A PLASTIC SHOPPING BAG AND TIED UP WITH THE BOTTLE INSIDE AND THEN PUT INSIDE THE COOLER BOX AFTER YOU TAKE IT OUT OF THE FREEZER.You can experiment this at home with two frozen bottles one in a bag and one out and leave them and i bet when the frozen one has defrosted the one in the bag will still be half full of ice.You will never be short of lovely ice cold water.

My tips 1/ those polystirine cooler boxes give best results or a good make forget about the bag type. 2/ Freeze your meat a few days before departure. 3/ Keep your cooler boxes out of the sun cover them with a blanket or sleeping bag. 4/ Try and store them in the coolest spot. 5/ When camping in Kruger we book 5 nights camping, 3 nights safari tent and 5 nights camping this gives use 3 nights of luxuary and to re-freeze the bottles. 6/ Try use one box as a daily box. 7 dont open the boxes requently this will let hot air in.

Having recently returned from a camping trip in KNP we found that after 9 nights our meat (including chicken & pork) was still chilled - we took the vacuum sealing route and added ice to the cooler box daily , allowing the sealed packets to remain in the cold water .

KNP is sacred.I am opposed to the modernisation of Kruger and from the depths of my soul long for the Kruger of yesteryear! 1000+km on foot in KNP incl 56 wild trails.200+ nights in the wildernessndloti-indigenous name for serval.

Some years ago , before I had fridge in the Landy , we kept our stuff cold , and even frozen , inside a cooler box . Started off by emptying a number of beer cans - no waste , remember ? Then , filled them all with water , place in freezer , and voila , next morning had a whole lot of beercans filled with ice . Then , place a layer of beercans at the bottom of the cooler box , cardboard over that , then all our meat that need to remain frozen , again cardboard , and another layer of beercan ice-bricks . Then you can place milk and other 'chill-stuff" on top . Every night , at camp , you just need to refill and re-freeze beercans , and during the day , as the water thaws out , you have cold water available to drink .

Works like a bomb , and you have a very good excuse to keep on emptying beercans

Tread softly , and let your departure not be spoiled by the damage of your arrival